Everything is coming up carnations in this national bestselling series Realizing romantic heroes are a thing of the past, graduate student Eloise Kelly is determined to focus on her work. Her first stop: England, to finish her dissertation on the English spies of the Napoleonic Wars, like the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. But her greatest conquest is to reveal the most elusive spy … reveal the most elusive spy of them all, the dashing Pink Carnation. As she does, she discovers something for the history books-a living, breathing hero all her very own…
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When I first found this book by accident at the library, I found the premise intriguing. I wasn’t really a historical reader but once I started this book I was addicted. The romance is lovely, exhilarating, and not too steamy, but not too sweet, either. Fun characters and plot lines. The interweaving of past and present makes the entire series all the more interesting. Any time I read a book in this series, I gladly have a lot of late nights, because I can’t put the books down. I highly recommend to all types of readers.
I love this series! Love that the women are spies and brave and strong in their own right. A regency with a twist!
I’m a big fan of Lauren Willig who writes books that alternate between the present time and a story in the past, blending the two together into a fascinating tale. Spies and romance! This is the first in a series you’re not going to want to stop reading.
The Pink Carnation has so many things I adore in a good story –
Spunky heroine(s)? Check.
Dashing hero(s)? Check.
Spies? Check.
History? Check.
Steamy times? Check.
A simmering contemporary romance? Check.
Witty writing that merrily skips along? Check.
I’m absolutely smitten by this book. I’m moving along to the second in the series because I absolutely need more of the contemporary story that serves as a backbone to each of the individual novels — Eloise and her Mr. Darcy of a leading man, Colin Selwick.
I know everyone is raving about Lauren Willig’s The English Wife (and for good reason) but I wanted to remind you all about the book that started my greediness for Ms. Willig’s story-telling–The Pink Carnation. It has all the best ingredients.
More like 4.5. I really enjoyed this! The banter was superb, a unique twist where the heroine is the hero’s foil by trying to help him 🙂 Full of adventure and romance, but not overly serious.
Simply put, I love everything Pink Carnation. This is the first in the series and I have loved everyone of them. Hoping and praying for a Netflix series!!!
This was a crazy fun adventure romance! I’m a huge fan of the Richard E Grant Scarlet Pimpernel and this was reminiscent of the danger, wit, and romance of that series. Looking so forward to reading the next story!
Willig is fast becoming a fave author of mine.
I read this after I finished my dissertation. I couldn’t believe that Lauren Willig could do academic writing and novels so well. This book has dual timelines. Eloise is researching her dissertation question and stumbles on her love interest. The other timeline is an indepth jump into the lives of those she researches. She is uncovering spys and there is a twist of the identity.
This is the first of many in the series. I shared the series with my dissertation advisor and she loved them. I passed them on to a cousin and they kept her entertained during her chemo treatments.
Finally finished! This one took me forever to read because it simply did not hold my attention very well. I did not really care for one of the heroines (yes, it is an historical told through letters/journals of the historical heroine read by a modern-day heroine). Too much back and forth. Would rather have concentrated on one or the other story. Also had some editing issues that bugged me. I’ll give it a pass but not a favorite.